Change My Mind
by GreenifiedGirl
Summary: What can I do to make you accept me?" He asked. She looked up at his warm amber eyes and smiled. "Change my mind." Please Read and Review! Warning! A bit of angst and major fluffiness ahead!


Disclaimer: I do NOT own "Avatar the Last Airbender". If I did, Sokka would take his "Warrior's Wolf Tail" down more often. XD

Spoiler Warning if you have not yet watched episode 312 "The Western Air Temple" or 313 "The Firebending Masters"

**Change My Mind**

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"_Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost_." He whispered. Katara could feel the Fire Nation Prince's hot breath against the dark skin on her neck. "_Now hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you_." The Water Tribe girl took a fighting stance, ready to protect the world's last hope for peace, the divine bridge between worlds, her best friend the Avatar. Prince Zuko would not take Aang to the Fire Lord, she would make sure of it. "_Their villages were enemies, so they could not be together. But there love was strong, and they found a way_." Her mind flashed to a certain exiled Fire Nation prince, and her stomach lurched. How could she have thought of an enemy while reading such a beautiful love story aloud?

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Zuko kicked, jabbed, crossed, and flipped. When the form called for it, he effortlessly released great spurts of flame from his limbs. Just before he was to perform the final five blows, he stopped and turned to an awestruck Aang.

"Why'd you stop, Sifu Zuko?" He asked playfully, cocking his arrow-clad head. "I want to see the rest of 'The Raging Tiger-Bear'!" he declared dramatically.

"_She's up there. Why does she have to watch EVERY single training session? It drives me nuts!_" Even though his back was turned, Zuko could feel Katara's presence on the balcony right above them. Her icy blue eyes burned into the back of his skull. Zuko did not need to see the Water Tribe girl to know that she was leaning back, arms crossed, and glaring at him. "_I've gained the trust of everyone here except her. Will she ever grow to accept me as a member of this group_?"

"Um…Zuko? Zuuuuko?" Sensing that the firebender was paying him no mind, Aang picked up the glider/staff that the Mechanist made for him and began to poke Zuko with it. "Zu-ko. Zu-ko. Zu-''

"Wha-?" Zuko asked, woken from his daydream. "Okay, you have my atten...STOP!"

Aang pulled his staff back and flashed him one of his famous goofy smiles. "Sorry, Sifu. But your attention flew away faster than Momo when he sees Toph in the morning."

"I heard that, Twinkletoes!!" called a voice from the floor above them.

Some of the color drained from Aang's face. "I'm dead."

"_There it goes again. Gosh! Can't she just go away? I feel like she's burning a hole in my back_!" Zuko pulled a hand down his face and tried to shake off the sensation. Turning his attention back to Aang, he asked, "You were saying?"

Aang's eyes became big, round, and innocent. "Oh, please, Zuko! Show me the last part of the form! Please!" The airbender's eyes disappeared to make room for another freakishly huge smile.

Zuko sighed. "Alright, fine. But only if you promise to master the middle section before even _attempting_ to do the final part."

Aang stood and bowed to the exiled Prince. "Zuko, I'll personally make you an Avatar promise that I will not even try to do the final section until I have completely mastered the middle part." Aang looked up, and when he saw that Zuko looked satisfied, he took his seat again, his eyes open wide and eager to watch the final part of 'The Raging Tiger-Bear'."

Zuko stood back and took a deep breath. Remembering what the Dragons at the ancient Sun City taught him, he let the rays of the sun embrace his body and soul. He felt the light fall upon his flesh and tickle it warmly. Zuko took that warm feeling and magnified it until it was burning hot energy all around and inside of his body. Turning slightly on one foot, he lifted the other into a powerful round-kick, and released the energy into a strong burst of flame. Next, he shifted his weight to the right as he threw a back-knuckle, a chop, spun into a side-kick, and used the momentum to flip vertically 360°. Landing he spun, focused his sight on the area where he would strike his final move, and tripped. Poor Zuko fell flat on his face.

"Ahahahaha!" Came that familiar voice from behind. Katara's arms came down from their previously crossed position to hold her sides as she laughed at Zuko.

Attempting to retain _some_ of his dignity, Zuko picked himself off of the stone floor and dusted himself off.

"Flameo, Zuko! That was really amazing!" Aang told him, his eyes still wide from curiosity and eagerness to watch. There was no trace of a giggle or laugh at Zuko's failure on his young face, only genuine awe.

The firebender scowled. "Yeah, but I wasn't supposed to trip! Argh!! How could I have been so clumsy?!" Zuko ranted, waving his arms dramatically as he shouted. "It was supposed to end perfectly, NOT in a fall like that!" When Katara gave one particularly loud laugh, Zuko was forced to turn around and face her. "What?!" he demanded.

Composing herself a bit, Katara leaned over the railing and cocked an eyebrow at Zuko. "Just like I said before, _Zuzu_," she spat, "maybe you're just not as good as you think you are." Katara took some water from her flask and bent an ice-slide down from the balcony, so she could be on the same level as the boys. She gracefully slid down and landed almost weightlessly on the ground.

Zuko couldn't help but notice how lovely her hair looked when it fell back away from her face and then tumbled softly down her back, looped over her shoulders and hung down in front of her chest. His admirations, however, were knocked out of his mind by what she said next.

"That last move that you, well, I can't say _did_, can I? That last move that you _tried_ to do…"

Making a face, Zuko tried to retort. But when she spoke again, he bit it back.

"…was a _water_bending move, wasn't it?" She asked slyly, slowly walking up to him.

"I-I…uh…um…yes." Zuko stammered, putting a hand behind his head. "But it's an ancient form that my uncle tau-''

"Oh, come on! Don't lie, Zuko. If you start lying, you're going to lose someone's trust." Katara closed her eyes and took a deep breath to keep her voice from raising any higher. "That pivot and strike was the move I was practicing yesterday morning by the fountain when you and Sokka walked over, remember?" she whispered, making it so only Zuko could hear her voice, and not Aang. Speaking a little louder, she said, "I guess I could help you perfect that pivot, you know, if you want to actually improve."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes, I would like some help. Thank you." He bowed to her in the traditional Fire Nation style, with one fist balled against an open hand.

"Okay. Let's go to the fountain then." Katara turned around sharply and headed for the staircases that lead to the floor below.

Aang jumped up from his seat. "I'll go with you!" he exclaimed eagerly.

"TWINKLETOES! GET YOUR BUTT UP HERE SO I CAN THROW SOME ROCKS AT YOU!"

"Oh. Guess not." He sighed before stamping his glider open and flying up to Toph for earthbending practice.

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"I told you, stop jerking so much when you spin around. It's a waterbending move, so you should be fluid, like this." Instructed Katara, giving him a little demonstration. When she was done she gave a sharp nod, signaling for him to try again.

Zuko leaped into the air, landed steadily, and then spun on the spot, pivoting his weight from his heel to the ball of his foot. He reached down, and then pushed his arms out in a final pose, minus the firebending. Feeling quite pleased with himself, he turned to Katara.

She looked very frustrated. "Urgh! I keep telling you to be more fluid and stop JERKING so much. I guess it fits, though, since you're such a jerk."

"Wait, what?!" Zuko asked incredulously, taking a step toward her. "I've been nothing but patient since I got here! I haven't said a single venomous thing, while _you're_ the one whose been insulting me, laughing at me, even threatening me! I fail to see why I'm the jerk, when you've been nothing short of cruel since I got here!"

Katara took a step forward and looked right up into Zuko's face, just as she did the day he was accepted into the group. "_I'm_ the jerk?! Okay, let's review. Did _I_ hold _you _hostage and steal something very precious to you?!" she snarled, and briefly gripped her mother's necklace. "Did _I_ attack _you_ at the North Pole and try to steal the world's last hope for peace?! Did _I _make _you _feel sorry for _me_ in those catacombs, and then betray you?! I thought you were actually confused. You convinced me that you might be a normal human being after all. I cared about you, and I though you were hurting! You bewildered Aang, Sokka, and Toph when you betrayed us at Ba Sing Se, but you have absolutely NO idea how much you hurt me." Katara was on the verge of tears, but not a single drop fell from her icy blue eyes. She was convinced not to let Zuko see her cry again, like she had in the crystal catacombs, so she tore her eyes away from Zuko's and glared at the floor.

Zuko, however, took her chin in his hand and turned her head towards his very softly. "Look at me?" It was more of a request then a demand.

Katara tentatively rose her eyes. Icy blue and warm amber met, and the waterbender was a bit afraid of the tenderness she saw there.

Not breaking from her tearful gaze, he took his hand away from her face. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

It was so sincere, and his gaze was so soft, that Katara threw her arms around his neck and let out a painful sob into the spot where his shoulder met his neck.

Zuko slowly let his left hand fall around her waist, and when she did not push away, he pulled her closer. He took his other hand and stroked the back of her head as she continued to tremble into his shoulder.

"I-I can't forgive you for everything you've done." She choked, still holding him tight.

"I know." Zuko rasped into her ear.

"A-And I'm still furious with you for betraying us at Ba Sing Se." Katara's sobs softened a bit, but she still had to force every word out painfully.

Zuko stopped stroking her and asked, "What can I do to make you accept me into the group?"

Katara sniffed and pulled away from Zuko's soft embrace. She did, however, keep her hands on his shoulders as she straightened up her posture. Looking up at him, she asked, "You want to know what _you _can do?"

"Yes." Zuko answered.

Katara shot the firebender a little smile. "Change my mind." She snaked her arms all the way around his neck again and leaned weakly into his warm chest, content to stay there for a little while longer.

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**Author's Notes:**

Oh. My. Gawd. I finally sat down on my butt and wrote a Zutara one-shot. squee I love the angsty beginning and the fluffy ending. Come on, now! Fluffy Zutarian one-shots are just plain wonderful. yawns Oh, wow. I need to sleep now. Please R&R!!!! I have cookies XD


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